• José Admirço Lima Filho, Eliana Marisa Ganem, and Bruno Gardélio Pedreira de Cerqueira.
• Clínica de Anestesia de Salvador, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. zelimafilho@gmail.com
• Rev Bras Anestesiol. 2011 Jan 1; 61 (1): 31-40.

Background And ObjectivesDifficulty intubating is a cause of mortality in anesthesiology and it can be related to obesity. The diagnosis of difficult intubation contributes for successful airways management. However, parameters that predict difficult airways are not well established. Mallampati classification, the interincisor gap, neck circumference, thyromental distance, and the presence of obstructive sleep apnea, are parameters that can indicate difficult intubation. Surgical treatment of obesity provides reduction in body mass index (BMI) with stabilization after about 2 years. The objective of the present study was to reevaluate the parameters described above and compare them with pre-surgical values.MethodsThe BMI, Mallampati classification, neck circumference, interincisor gap, thyromental distance, and the degree of obstructive sleep apnea in polysomnography were evaluated in 51 patients of both genders in the preoperative period. Two years after the surgery and reduction of the BMI to < 35 kg.m(-2), predictor factors of difficult airways were reevaluated by another anesthesiologist who knew the patients' BMI before surgery. Nine patients were excluded. The new reevaluation was performed, and for those who did not have another polysomnography the somnolence scale of Epiworth was applied.ResultsForty-two patients were reevaluated. They showed a reduction in BMI and neck circumference, and an increase in both interincisor gap and thyromental distance. Only one patient showed a reduction in Mallampati scale, and only 4 patients performed polysomnography.ConclusionsReduction of the BMI allows for an increased interincisor gap, thyromental distance, and reduction in neck circumference. Mallampati classification remains the same.Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

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